His Royal Geekness
by BrokenSonnet32
Summary: Kenshin is your ordinary high school student he goes to school, do his homework, hangs out with his friends, get bullied most of the times. But add in a little secret and his life would never be the same again.
1. The Geek

His Royal Geek-ness

By: BrokenSonnet32

Disclaimer: They are not mine.

Chapter 1: The Geek

Himura Kenshin felt some random object made a rather painful connection with his mass of red head. He looked down and realized that the random object was a small rubber ball. The redhead shook his head and picked the ball up.

"Hey! Hurry up!"

He looked out at his opened window and smiled at his childhood friend and neighbor – whose opened window was right across his own one. He mouthed that 'he'll be ready in a minute' and made to grab his bag, put his glasses back on and was soon out of his room and out of his house to meet with her.

"Mou! We're gonna be late if you keep going like that!" the raven-haired girl said, her hands crossed on her chest and her ocean blue eyes squinted.

"Sorry, 'bout that, Kaoru!" Kenshin sheepishly smiled, throwing the small rubber ball that she had thrown back at her. The girl – his childhood friend and neighbor, Kamiya Kaoru – caught it with ease and was soon walking beside him.

"Mou! Do I always have to throw this thing at you every morning?" Kaoru was saying as the two friends walk, "Honestly, what'll happen to you if I just suddenly disappear one day!"

Kenshin turned at her in shock, "But of course, you will not leave me, eh?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes and smacked him hard on the back of his head with her duffel bag, "Idiot! Why would I leave my bestfriend?!"

"I was just teasing you, hehe…" the redhead said, rubbing the sore spot on his head – already feeling a bump starting to grow at an alarming rate. He sighed.

Kaoru rolled her eyes again and soon grew silent. They stopped by a small clinic for a minute to wait for their other friend.

"Good morning, Kao-chan, Kenshin-kun…" the kind doctor, Takani Seiji, smiled and gestured for the two teenagers to take a seat. "Meg-chan is just finishing up. She's helping your sister in the kitchen."

"Oh… about my sister." Kaoru quickly said, worry apparent on her face. "I heard she got sick yesterday. Is she alright? Why is she already up and working in the kitchen?" she gave a sharp look at the doctor at her last question.

"Easy, Kao-chan…" Takani-sensei lifted two hands in defense, "She's alright, I tell you."

"That's good." Kaoru said with a sigh of relief, "'Coz if I hear that you're doing something bad to her, I'll pound you!" she said the threat good-humoredly, though Kenshin was quite sure that his best friend meant every word – she can be really overprotective when it comes to those she cares for.

"Easy, Kaoru… you're scaring Takani-sensei, that you are." Kenshin placed a hand on his best friend's arm and gave her a smile. The girl only rolled her eyes at him but he could've sworn that he caught a little pink tint on her cheeks.

"I mean your sister being sick is quite normal, I mean…" Takani-sensei said in a calm voice, making Kaoru's brows rise in confusion.

"We are quite lost. I'm sorry, doctor." Kenshin voiced the question on Kaoru's eyes and stared at the doctor's smiling face.

"Ooh! Baby sister!" a very beautiful woman with her long hair as black as Kaoru's and eyes of the same blue color, entered the room with Megumi in tow. Kenshin caught his friend scowling at her sister's chosen nickname.

"Mou! I'm not a baby anymore!" Kaoru pouted as she gave her sister a quick hug, "Don't call me that!"

"Isn't she a baby, Kenshin-kun?" the woman turned her ocean blue eyes to Kenshin in mirth.

"Well, she has some childish traits, I admit." the redhead answered making the woman jump with glee. Kaoru glared at him and mouthed 'traitor'. He only chuckled.

"Good morning, Ken-san." Megumi smiled at him as she soon stood by his side. "She's quite energetic today, don't you think? Did you give her some candy or something sweet?"

"Must be the breakfast." Kenshin shrugged, watching Kaoru talk animatedly with her sister.

"Ne, ne… Doctor, what do you mean my sister 'being sick is quite normal'?" Kaoru turned her head back to the quiet doctor.

"You still hasn't told my baby sister, dear?" Kaoru's sister turned to the doctor, her pout almost identical to that of her sister's.

"Ah… sorry, Kasumi-dear, I forgot." the doctor said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Ah…" Kasumi, Kaoru's sister, turned to Megumi instead, "Megumi-dear, can you tell my baby sister the good news instead. You're brother is kind of annoying at times, you know…" she said the last part with a playful smile at her husband's direction.

Megumi only shook her head and turned to Kaoru's curious face, "Well, it looks like the two of us is going to have a niece or nephew in the future." she said in a nonchalant tone. In her head, she counted from ten-to-one and smiled at Kaoru's outburst of glee.

"Really?! Really?! I'm going to be an auntie? Really?!" the raven-haired teenager turned from her sister to the doctor then back to her sister and started to jump around the place with glee. Kasumi giggled at Kaoru's antics while Kenshin and Seiji tried all their might to keep the clinic still intact with Kaoru's overexcited dance of happiness.

XXX

"Can you believe that?" Kaoru was saying over and over again to both Kenshin and Megumi. "I'm going to be an auntie!"

"For the hundredth time, please calm down." Megumi said, rubbing her throbbing temple as she watched the girl turn to Kenshin instead.

"Mou! Kenshin! Aren't you excited? My sister's going to have a baby!" Kaoru was practically hopping beside Kenshin. The redhead sweatdropped.

"Why everyone so excited?" someone said behind the three. Kenshin and Megumi turned to find their other friend, Sagara Sanosuke, walking not too far behind – eyeing Kaoru with his brows raised.

"What's up with her?" he asked, jerking his head at Kaoru's direction.

"You're not going to believe it! I'm going to be an auntie!" Kaoru jumped in front of Sano, much to the taller man's surprise. Kenshin and Megumi exchanged knowing looks before finally reaching to a mutual agreement to leave the excited girl to the unknowing Sano.

XXX

"Man! This is the hundredth time! And it's just for ten minutes now!" Kenshin heard Sano complain aloud not too far behind him – and he could almost see the taller man sending death glares at him.

"You think we should help him?" Kenshin turned to Megumi who only gave him a shrug.

"Nah… the rooster can handle it." Megumi said with a huge smile on her face, a pair of foxy ears popping out of her head. Kenshin only made a nervous chuckle.

"Man!" Sano finally caught up with the two and to Kenshin's surprise, Kaoru was still on about the 'soon-to-come baby'. The redhead fought the urge to laugh out loud as he saw the frantic look on his friend's usually cool ones.

"You have to help me with this!" Sano said, grabbing the shorter man by the arm. "She's driving me nuts."

"Oro?" Kenshin only blinked adding to his friend's mounting discomfort.

"Ohohoho… the rooster's scared of his little missy…" Megumi laughed, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. Sano gave her a glare.

"Mou! How dare you make fun of me!" Kaoru seems to have caught on the bits of their conversation and was already fuming, on her hand was a bokken she had whipped magically from out of nowhere.

"Mou! How dare you!" Kaoru made a swung her bokken at Sano's direction but the taller man easily avoided it by using Kenshin as an effective shield.

"Mou! You're hurting him!" Kaoru yelled, as her bokken collided with Kenshin's head – sending the redhead falling swirly-eyed on the ground.

"It's 'you' who've swung a bokken on him!" Sano retorted.

"You used him as a shield!" Kaoru retorted back, her face beet red.

Meanwhile, the fallen redhead was starting to regain consciousness. He pushed himself up from the ground and rubbed his head – feeling another bump forming. He shook his head as he watched his two friends arguing about whose fault was this and that.

"Good morning, Himura-san." the soft voice of someone said. Kenshin turned and suddenly lost his tongue.

"G-G-G-Good m-m-morning, Y-Yukishiro-d-dono…" Kenshin managed to stammer, mentally kicking himself for his inborne ability to embarrass himself at times like these.

"Did you manage to finish it?" the girl whose long dark hair danced with her every movement, smiled sweetly as the redhead dug through his schoolbag in search of one notebook.

"H-Here…" the redhead finally drew out a pink notebook from his bag and handed it to the girl with trembling hands.

"Thank you!" the girl smiled again, making breathing harder for Kenshin. He heard the girl excuse herself and watched dumbly as she walked away to join back her group of friends.

"Earth to Kenshin!"

The redhead blinked in surprise as Sano waved a hand in front of his face. Kenshin turned to find that Sano giving him one meaningful smile while Megumi frowned at him in the background.

"Oro?" Kenshin said, almost automatically.

"Man… you're spacing out!" Sano grinned at him, "Did you finally managed to ask her out?"

At the question the redhead turned beet red. He rubbed the back of his head nervously and started to sheepishly say, "Oro? What are you saying?"

"We're late!" Kaoru suddenly said, saving Kenshin from further interrogation from Sano. He mentally thanked her and sighed in relief as she led her way to their school building. Sano and Megumi only exchanged a shrug and followed suit.

XXX

At lunch break, one can always find Kenshin outside with what everyone would call as the 'loser's table', where the nerds seems to have the silent agreement to hang out everyday. Kenshin eyed the only vacant table – the one nearest the dumpster, with a sigh.

"Mou!" Kaoru frowned as she watched her bestfriend walked towards the last vacant spot in surprise. "You're not eating there!" she quickly said, stopping the redhead by grabbing onto the sleeves of his uniform.

"It's the only vacant table." Kenshin said, giving his friend a smile.

"Man… we can eat inside." Sano rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'm a nerd, remember?" Kenshin only shrugged and made his way towards the table. Kaoru, Sano and Megumi all shook their heads but soon followed.

"You don't have to eat with me, you know guys?" Kenshin said as he watched his friends placed their trays on the table. "I mean, you can always—"

"And leave you?" Kaoru rolled her eyes, "No way!"

"Besides, I don't like in there!" Sano jerked his thumb to where the 'popular kids' hang out. "There people kept ogling at you."

"Not at me, no." Kenshin shrugged.

"Mou! You think so lowly of yourself!" Kaoru pouted at him, "It's just so ridiculous sometimes!"

"Yes." Megumi nodded. "And besides, it's a free country, you go where you want to."

"Well… I'm—"

"Who died and made those morons the king of the universe?!" Kaoru rolled her eyes, "They kept calling us a bunch of 'losers' when they're the ones who should be called that way! I mean, what's so amazing about wearing skirts that shows your undies with every move?! Might as well take it off and walk around the place with nothing on!"

Megumi giggled at Kaoru's statement while Sano whistled. Kenshin only sighed.

"Uhm… excuse me…" somebody said and Kenshin need not look up to figure out whom the sweet voice belonged to.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and said before Kenshin could even form the perfect dialogue in his head, "What brings her might princess at this humble place?" the sarcastic hint on her voice never left Kenshin's keen ears. The redhead gave his best friend a frown.

"No one asked you, Kamiya-loser!" one of Yukishiro Tomoe's friends – the newcomers – said.

"Well, I'm not talking to you, stick-girl!" Kaoru replied mimicking her. The girl's face turned bright with anger.

Tomoe only stopped her friends with a look before turning back at Kenshin, "Anou, Himura-san, can I ask you for another favor? That is if you don't mind…"

Kenshin smiled dazedly as he watched her, "S-Sure… e-everything…" he said absentmindedly.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru said in frustration.

"I'm just really busy…" Tomoe said, handing a piece of paper at Kenshin, "We have cheering practice, you know? I really can't do it."

"Yeah… no problem." Kenshin nodded his head and watched as the girls walked away, laughing merrily.

"Mou! This is nuts!" Kaoru said aloud, snapping Kenshin back to reality. "You're so dumb!"

Kenshin blinked at his best friend, "Oro? What are you saying?"

Kaoru made a wild gesture with her hands and roughly pushed her half-eaten meal away, "I lost my appetite!" she said before walking off.

"I think… I better follow her." Megumi said quickly, "Just in case." with that, she soon disappeared with the ponytailed girl.

Kenshin turned his eyes instead to Sano who raised a hand and quickly said, "Don't ask me… I'm quite lost myself…"

XXX

Kaoru never talked to him the whole day after that. And when the school bell rang, she was one of those who had first left the classroom after their teacher. Kenshin sighed as he placed his things on his bag, still confused as to his best friend's sudden change of mood – just earlier in the morning she was overexcited over her sister's baby and now…

"I can't understand her." he spoke out loud without thinking as he, Megumi and Sano stopped by their lockers. "We're friend since forever but I still can't understand her." the redhead added, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"Well… if you just tell Yukishiro off having you do her homework for her, Kaoru wouldn't be like that." Megumi said, surprising both Sano and Kenshin.

"Huh? She's letting you do her homework?!" Sano rounded on the redhead. Megumi nodded at him and crossed her arms.

"Well, she's busy!" Kenshin quickly defended.

"But you never do my homework when I have basketball practice! What kind of friend are you? Ouch!" Sano winced as Megumi smacked the back of his head with her hard-bound book.

"Why'd do that for!" Sano glared at Megumi.

"Idiot!" Megumi glared back at him and then turned to Kenshin, "Kaoru thinks that Yukishiro is just using you, don't you get it?"

"Of course not." Kenshin said in an affronted voice, "Yukishiro-dono will never do something like that. She's very busy because of all those cheerleading stuff and all. She can't do it, that's why I have to help her."

"I always have basketball practice but I never let the foxy do my homework!" Sano said proudly.

"Because you know I'll never do it, idiot!" Megumi said in a nonchalant voice. Sano gave her a sharp look.

"You think so lowly of me!"

"I do, thank you!"

"Well, thank you!" Sano glared at her and then turned to look away.

"The thing is Yukishiro-dono is not capable of doing that. I know she's a nice girl. She's not the type to use anyone for any purpose." Kenshin said firmly, though he wasn't really convinced with his statement himself.

"Hell yeah!" Megumi only rolled her eyes, "Fine… whatever."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let's just go. I'm starving." Sano quickly interjected, "Why I'm hungry!" he said after seeing the disgusted look on Megumi's face.

"Let's eat… I'm kinda hungry as well." Kenshin said and the three made their way to the nearest restaurant.

XXX

"Good afternoon." the kind owner of 'The Akabeko' greeted as she led Kenshin and his friends to a vacant table. "Can I get your orders?"

"I'll have yakisoba!" Sano quickly said without even stopping to pick the menu. Megumi and Kenshin decided to just have the same. The owner, Sekihara Tae, called for a waiter and gave him their orders.

"I don't see Kaoru-chan around, where is she?" Tae asked. Megumi and Sano both turned to look at Kenshin.

"Oro? Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked quickly. Tae dismissed it with a knowing smile and excused herself from the group.

"It's not my fault." Kenshin said defensively.

"Whatever you say…" Megumi shrugged. Kenshin only shook his head.

"Oi… Oi… what do we have here?" a group of students from the other school said as they walked past Kenshin's table. The three frowned at them.

"Isn't it the great Sagara of Furinkan with his loser friends!" one of them said with a smirk. Kenshin recognized based from the uniform that the boys were from a rival school.

"Shut up!" Sano rolled his eyes, "Or are you just so upset that we beat you in the last practice game, huh?"

"We'll see about that, Sagara!" the same one said with a glare, "We'll beat you in the tournament!"

"Show it in the basketball court!" Sano smirked, "We'll see who has the last laugh."

"Loser!" the boys from Kainan left and Sano watched them with a huge smile.

"Losers…" the roosterhead shook his head and placed a toothpick on his mouth.

"Eew! That's so gross!" Megumi screwed her face at Sano's behavior and shook her head, "Cut it out!" she added, throwing a tissue paper at him.

Kenshin shook his head and stared at the TV screen as he waited for Sano and Megumi to stop their bickering. On air was one of those lovey-dovey soap operas that he and Sano had caught Kaoru watching with her sister when they dropped by the kind doctor's clinic one time. He smiled at the thought – Kaoru never stopped until he finally believed her that it was her sister that made her watch those _'dumb sappy drama shows… so gross!'_.

"We interrupt this program for this breaking news…" the face of a famous news anchor suddenly appeared on-screen, making some customers groan in frustration. Even Megumi and Sano stopped fighting to see what the commotion is on about.

"Prince Hideki of Nakamura died of heart attack this afternoon." a picture of a man with auburn hair slightly faded, his face almost flawless if not for some few lines evidencing his age.

"Prince Hideki, age forty, was a bachelor and the last heir to the throne of Edo. Edo people of course are now worried for the fate of their empire – the big question is now, who's going to take the throne and lead the people of—"

"Wow… you mean no descendants?" Megumi blinked, "Isn't that a bit unfortunate?"

"Who knows…" Sano shrugged, "Maybe he has some illegitimate children or whatever. Those aristocrats always has this thing about—"

"You have such a perverted mind!" Megumi growled at Sano who only frowned at her.

"I'm not perverted!"

"Must be lucky…" Kenshin said to no one in particular. "You know… the one who's next in line… all of the sudden he's just there, prince of the whole empire or whatever… you can get everything you want," he shrugged as he faced Sano and Megumi, "…must be nice to be treated like a prince once in a while, don't you think?"

Sano only smiled – who knew where his imagination would take him; while Megumi only shrugged.

XXX

"Your girlfriend dropped by," his uncle said as Kenshin took his shoes off. The redhead frowned at his uncle's reference to his best friend as his girlfriend but pushed it off as he turned to his uncle dozing comfortably on the couch.

"Why?" he asked, wondering if she's still mad at him.

"How the heck would I know?" was the abrupt reply. "Just asked if you're already there and then left when I told her that you still hasn't come home from school." his uncle, Hiko Seijurou, turned to him, "Come to think of it, you two are almost inseparable. Something the matter?"

Kenshin quickly shook his head and made his way to his room.

"Why? Lover's Quarrel?" he heard his uncle chuckle from downstairs. Kenshin rolled his eyes and shut the door to his room close.

He turned to stare out of his window and noted that Kaoru's was covered in curtains, but he knew that she was still awake because her lights were still on. Placing his bag silently on his desk, he picked his walkie-talkie up and started to talk.

"Hey… I know you're still awake." he said, watching her window for any sign of movements. "I don't know if you're still mad at me." he stopped for a while and waited for a response, and he need not wait for too long as he saw her slim silhouette push her curtains open, and then her windows.

"Of course, I'm not mad at you." she said, her hands on her hips, "Why would I be?"

"Well, you're avoiding me the whole day. And you just left school without even waiting for me." Kenshin replied, pulling a chair near his window to sit.

"I just needed to see my sister, you know." Kaoru shrugged. "But anyway… I really don't have a reason to stay mad at you. I mean… you can do whatever you want, anyway. I'm just worried, that's all."

"So you were mad!" Kenshin said faking a hurt tone on his voice. He watched as Kaoru's face turn from embarrass to annoyed to confused to angry and a whole lot more before turning to frown at him.

"Mou!" she only said but smiled at him.

"You're smiling again. That means you're not mad anymore!" Kenshin smiled back.

"Baka! You're my best friend!" Kaoru said, and the redhead suddenly felt warm all over, "I can't stay mad at you for a long time and you seem to abuse that fact!" she playfully added.

"Of course not!" Kenshin chuckled. Kaoru giggled at him. The friends talked the whole night, while of course trying to finish their homework – and on Kenshin's part, Tomoe and her friend's homework – just like they do almost every night. If not for Kenshin's uncle and Kaoru's mother, the two wouldn't have noticed how late the night has been.

"Good night!" Kenshin said after being told off by his uncle.

"Well… sweet dreams…" Kaoru smiled at him, trying to stifle a yawn.

To be continued…


	2. The Unexpected Visitor

His Royal Geek-ness

By: BrokenSonnet32

Disclaimer: They are not mine.

Chapter 2: The unexpected visitor

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kaoru asked for the nth time that day as Kenshin tried to stifle another yawn. After being told off by his uncle last night, he realized that Tomoe's homework were still unfinished, so he spent the whole time trying to finish it. The result, he only got a few hours of sleep.

"Well…" Megumi, to Kenshin's mild surprise, placed a hand on his forehead, "He doesn't have a fever."

"I'm alright…" Kenshin smiled, "I just haven't gotten enough sleep, I guess."

Megumi was about to say something more but she heard Sano complain about his own homework and turned to him instead.

"Was it my fault?" Kaoru whispered to him.

Kenshin stared at her in shock and shook his head quickly, "Of course not. I just lost track of—"

"I knew I shouldn't have talked to you all night." Kaoru sighed, "Now you're all—"

Kenshin surprised her by grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze, "It's not a bother, okay?" he smiled, "Plus, I really enjoyed the talk every night."

Kaoru looked down at their joined hands and blushed. She then sighed and shook her head, giving him a small smile.

"Whoa! Pity I don't have a camera!" Sano suddenly said and the two bestfriends' faces turned beet red. Megumi elbowed Sano hard on the ribs, telling him off for ruining a _'perfect moment'_.

"Cut it out! It's nothing!" Kaoru quickly said as Kenshin released her hand.

"Kasumi will surely love to hear that her baby sister's starting to grow up." Megumi continued.

"Cut it out!"

"Ohohoho!" Megumi laughed her signature laugh and sauntered away, Kaoru at her heels trying with all her might to convince her foxy friend that there was nothing wrong with 'everything'.

"Haha! So really, what's up?" Sano turned to Kenshin and the redhead blushed a little at the implication of his question.

"Nothing really." Kenshin raised his hands as his friend started rounding on him.

"Oh… so you're holding her hand and it's nothing. Wow!" Sano rolled his eyes and lightly punched Kenshin's shoulder, "You loverboy! Hehe!" he added as he soon followed Megumi and Kaoru.

XXX

"So, Himura… where is it?" Tomoe asked as soon as Kenshin entered the school building. He could almost feel Kaoru's eyes on him as he handed Tomoe and her friends their homework.

"Thank you very much!" Tomoe smiled and kissed Kenshin on the cheek. After that, she and her friends made their way to the soccer field to watch the players practice.

Kenshin almost stumbled forward as Sano hit him on his back. The redhead adjusted his glasses and blinked at his tall friend.

"In basketball… that's a three-pointer, eh?" Sano said, shaking his head.

"Oro?"

"Ha! You dog! You already have missy here and then you—" but Sano was cut off by Kaoru pushing both men out of the way as she stomped her way to their classroom, muttering something about being late.

XXX

"THAT—" Kaoru swung her bokken so hard that one can hear the air being cut through as she performed a rather complicated move. "—STUPID IDIOT!!!!!!" she emphasize each word with a powerful swing of her weapon.

'IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT!' her mind screamed as she swung and swung and swung her bokken forcefully, as if attacking an imaginary villain from hell. She closed her eyes in an attempt to erase the stubborn picture of someone's face on her mind but only succeeded in making the blurred picture even clearer. She angrily growled and lunged forward with her bokken.

"Whoa! That's one nice move, you got there, Kamiya!" someone said as the person entered the once deserted dojo halls. Kaoru turned to see the vice-captain of the Kendo club enter, an amused smile on his face.

"Good afternoon." Kaoru forced a smile and went to place her bokken back to its rack.

"You are quite early today." the man said, running his hand through his ashen blonde hair.

"I just have nothing to do and I thought a little practice would clear my mind." Kaoru sighed, pushing some hair out of her already sweaty face. She grimaced and shook her head.

"But it failed to clear your mind, eh?" the man said, as if reading her mind. Kaoru gave him a small frown.

"How about a little sparring match?" the man smiled, throwing a bokken at Kaoru's direction. The girl only reacted in time to catch it.

"Huh?" Kaoru blinked as she watched the vice-captain take his position. "Why?"

"Just felt like it." he shrugged and made a dash for Kaoru. The girl sidestepped in time to avoid being hit squarely on the head.

"Fine!" Kaoru smirked as she, this time, initiated the attack.

The dojo halls soon filled with club members, watching in awe as their vice-captain and the one of the few female members of their club sparred with such skill that none had seen before.

The match however, came to an abrupt halt when the club captain finally arrived – telling everyone to stand in attention.

XXX

Kenshin sat on the most secluded corner of the library while he waited for his friends. Sano, being a varsity member of the school's basketball team has practice, Megumi's been called for the Student Council meeting and Kaoru has Kendo practice. For some reason, his bestfriend seemed to be avoiding him again – and he was quite to lost as to why.

'Sometimes I wonder if I really know her…' he sighed as he closed his book shut, finally losing interest with it. He sighed again and leaned back on his seat.

"You're alone today." someone said and Kenshin smiled to realize that it was Tomoe and she was alone for once. _'Did she really approach me all alone?'_

"Is this seat taken?" Tomoe asked and never waited for a response as she took the seat. "Shakespeare?" she asked, eyeing his abandoned book. Kenshin managed to give her a small sheepish smile and nodded wordlessly.

"I have Shakespeare too!" the girl smiled back, lifting a rather tattered-looking book and placing it on the table. She gave him another smile before opening the book and began to read.

'_Wow… she's into Shakespeare? I never knew that!'_ he mentally noted, as he unconsciously opened his own book and began to 'read'.

"For your book report?" he heard her ask and Kenshin numbly nodded. He heard her say something more but he was lost beneath its depths as he stared mesmerized by her.

Until someone broke the spell…

"Tomoe-chan!" her friends, to Kenshin's utmost displeasure, has chosen that time to enter the scene. He mentally flinched as he watched them throw nasty looks at his direction before smiling sweetly at Tomoe.

"We have practice, silly… why are you staying here with this loser?" one of the girls – Kenshin remembered that her name was Komogata Yumi – said as if the redhead wasn't even there in the first place. He could've sworn he saw Tomoe's lips twitched upward but it was lost after a blink of an eye.

"Oh… I forgot." Tomoe said in a convincingly disappointed tone, "But I have to finish my book report! I have to pass this tomorrow!"

Kenshin felt his mouth touch the ground as Tomoe's three friends all turned to him. He was sure he had said something, but his brain failed to remember what his traitor mouth and tongue had said. The next thing he remembered was four sets of notebooks pushed under his nose before the four girls soon disappeared.

XXX

"Hey… thanks…" Kaoru smiled as she saw her vice-captain, Yukishiro Enishi, step out of the men's changing room. The man returned her smile and was soon beside her, a puzzled look on his face.

"Mind if I ask you what I did?" he asked.

"For making me feel better." she said, "I've never sparred with anyone so good before. You're really good – you deserved being the vice-captain."

"You're very good as well." Enishi nodded. "You're even better than most guys I know."

"Mou! Don't exaggerate, sempai!" Kaoru shook her head, "It's just all the adrenaline working, you know."

"Then, I might as well be careful teasing you. You're quite scary when you're angry." Enishi laughed when Kaoru pouted.

"Well, thanks again!" Kaoru smiled and turned to leave.

"Hey!" Enishi was at her side again, much to Kaoru's surprise. She turned her eyes at him and frowned as she waited for his explanation.

"Going home?" he asked, "Mind if I walk with you?"

"But your house is too far away, isn't it sempai?" Kaoru frowned at her senior's odd behavior.

"Oh!" Enishi's eyes widened for a bit, "I plan on visiting a friend—"

"Kaoru-chan!!!!" whatever Enishi was saying was soon lost as a rather petite girl went running towards Kaoru's unsuspecting self. The petite girl with long braided hair literally attached herself at Kaoru's left arm and began hopping here and then like an overexcited child. Enishi rolled his eyes behind Kaoru.

"Can you believe it, Kaoru-chan! The captain complimented my form!" the petite girl, Makimachi Misao was a member of the Kendo club just like Kaoru and her classmate as well. The ponytailed girl throw a nervous glance at her vice-captain as the world-renowned genki-girl began babbling uncontrollably.

"Calm down, Makimachi…" Enishi said with a sigh, pushing his glasses back.

"But the captain complimented me!" Misao frowned at Enishi. "You're such a killjoy!"

"It's not like nobody knew… You have just broadcasted to the whole world that Shinomori has complimented your form." Enishi shrugged and began to walk out of the halls.

Misao stuck out her tongue behind him, before pouting and soon following suit. Kaoru watched the two in amusement before finally following as well.

"Come on…" Enishi said, holding out his hand to Kaoru as if telling her to give him something. The freshman blinked at her sempai's hand and frowned in confusion.

"I'll carry your bag." he added when Kaoru remained unmoved.

"Oh no, it's alright, sempai… I can—" but Kaoru was cut off when the man snatched her bag away from her and began walking forward.

"That's unfair! Carry my bag too!" Misao complained, tugging on her sempai's sleeves until the man finally gave in to her request. With a merry smile, Misao walked beside the sullen man.

The three walked out of the building. Misao and Kaoru shared a couple or so conversation but the ashen blonde man beside them remained silent all the time for some reason.

"Kaoru…" someone called and the girl in question looked up to see her best friend standing by the school gates waiting for her. She felt herself smiling as she waved at him.

"Hey! Kenshin!" she ran to him, Enishi and Misao soon forgotten behind her, "You waited for me? Where's Megumi and Sano?" she asked, looking around.

"Nah… They left already." Kenshin shrugged. "Megumi was complaining about some students lack of discipline or something. I don't know what happened but Sano said something and Megumi was soon at his throats. They walked all the way home arguing."

"They argue about even the tiniest things!" Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Mou! If only those two weren't so stubborn and proud…" she muttered under her breath as she blew her bangs out of her eyes. Kenshin gave her a quizzical look.

"Hello Himura!" Misao greeted from behind and Kaoru soon became aware of her companions. She turned and gave an apologetic smile as her eyes fell on her senior's sullen look.

"Ah… Makimachi-dono, Yukishiro-san." Kenshin smiled at the two. Misao smiled her cheerful smile while Enishi regarded with a small jerk of his head.

The four walked in silence – well, the two boys in silence while Misao and Kaoru walked ahead chattering all the way. Kenshin gulped nervously – he really couldn't help but feel nervous whenever he was with Kaoru's vice-captain… it's as if the man has a hidden grudge for him for some reason he couldn't comprehend.

"Yukishiro-san… er…" Kenshin started, remembering the thing a certain cheerleader had made him do unknowingly. "Can you give this to your sister? She kind of asked for my help earlier in the library, that she does." he said, after making sure that Kaoru was far too busy conversing with Misao to notice.

Enishi frowned at four sets of notebook that the redhead was discreetly handing him, "What is this?" he asked, placing the notebooks on his bag.

"Her book report." Kenshin replied in a low tone, "She asked for my help to—"

"I get it." Enishi nodded rather curtly. "She's not making you do things for her, isn't she?"

"Of course not." Kenshin was more like trying to convince himself.

"Fine." Enishi shrugged. "I'll give it to her later."

"Thank you." Kenshin nodded gratefully and smiled.

"What are you guys talking about?" Kaoru asked, the suspicious tone on her voice never leaving Kenshin's strained ears.

"Nothing!" the redhead quickly answered.

XXX

"I'm home!" Kenshin called as he took his shoes off and placed it neatly in its cabinet.

"You're early." Hiko, as usual was on the couch, too engrossed with some soccer game to even turn and acknowledge his presence. The redhead only shrugged and made his way to his room. He turned to see Kaoru waving at him at her own room before soon disappearing behind her curtains.

Kenshin closed his own windows and began to change into a neat shirt and khakis. He proceeded to heat some leftover food from earlier and ate silently on the kitchen. His bowl is halfway empty when he heard some car pulled back from outside and he frowned. He sauntered towards the window and caught a glimpse of a black BMW parked just in front of their house. Soon the doorbell rang.

"Uncle, are you expecting someone?" he asked as he watched his grumbling uncle make his way to the front doors.

"Nah…" Hiko said, scratching his head lazily, "Damn! This better be not your girlfriend again!"

"Kaoru's not my girlfriend!" Kenshin said hotly, his face burning.

"Whatever…" Hiko said as he walked out of the room.

Kenshin grumbled something about 'inconsiderate uncle of his' and sank down on his uncle's vacated couch. He flipped the channel to the 'Discovery Channel'. He was surprised when his uncle went back of the room, snatched the remote from the unsuspecting redhead and turned the TV off. Kenshin could've retorted angrily if not for the very serious expression on his uncle's face.

"Something the matter?" the younger man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's like looking at his Royal Highness himself…" a man appeared behind Hiko, looking at Kenshin with a very relieved look on his face that the younger man feared that he would soon collapsed crying. The unknown man walked inside the room and took another vacant seat without further ado, still staring at Kenshin as if he was looking at a ghost.

"Uncle… what's this?" the redhead turned to find his uncle finding the floor slightly more interesting. He turned to the window and managed to catch a sight of a man standing beside the black BMW with Kaoru, holding a huge garbage bag, trying to ask questions to him.

"Highness…" the unknown man said, catching Kenshin's attention.

"Sorry?" Kenshin frowned, "But why are you calling me that?"

The man looked slightly affronted that Kenshin felt obligated to apologize and he was about to but the man turned his eyes sharply to Hiko.

"What is this?!" he asked firmly at the silent Hiko, "You never told his Highness? What kind of guardian are you? You and your mundane sister!"

"Don't you dare call my sister that!" Kenshin had never seen his uncle angrier before. The unknown man stood up from his seat and turned his stern eyes on Hiko's unblinking one. Kenshin chose that moment to step in before an impending fight.

"Sorry… I'm quite lost here." the redhead said, "Can you enlighten me, sir."

"Your Highness…" the man said again.

"It's 'Kenshin'… that's my name."

"No. I don't want to be rude to his Royal Highness."

Kenshin gaped, still confused.

"I guess we should start at the beginning of the story then." Hiko said before the unknown man could even open his mouth to say something.

"Kenshin… the man, by the way is Kunumitsu Otsu, first Minister of the Edo Imperial Palace."

Kenshin had never heard anything as weird before.

To be Continued…


	3. The Story Never Told

His Royal Highness

By: BrokenSonnet32

Disclaimer: They are not mine.

Chapter 3: The Story Never Told

"What? Imperial Palace?" Kenshin repeated, staring at his uncle as if the man has just grown another head. "What's this—"

"Just shut up and listen for a while!" Hiko said, rubbing his temples.

"How dare you speak to His Royal Highness like that you commoner!" Minister Otsu said at Hiko in disgust but the other man completely ignored the minister.

"It happens like this." Hiko said as he took a seat. Kenshin turned at him, still not believing every single thing that his uncle was saying.

"Your father, Himura Genji of Nakamura is the eldest son of Emperor Kyushu. He is the older brother of Prince Hideki, who had just died of heart attack the last day." Hiko started.

"His Royal Highness, you father, is actually the supposed next in line to the throne of Edo – not his brother Hideki who was a sickly young man ever since the day he was born." Minister Otsu added in, "But something happened that made the Emperor so angry that he was forced to disown his eldest son."

"Your father met my sister in this small bar." Hiko said, "She worked as a singer in this small bar. Your father has this habit of sneaking out of the palace here and then – he was a sneaky young man, you know… loves to play tricks on the Imperial Guards—" he paused as Otsu angrily retorted at the description for Kenshin's father.

"He stumbled onto this bar where my sister is working as a singer." Hiko shrugged, "Ever since then, your father becomes a regular at the place. Always dropping by just to watch my sister sing. Later, they became friends… and then, more than that."

"The Emperor, my Master, is a very traditional man." Otsu sighed, "He disprove of the young Prince's desire to marry your mother. He believed that your father – as the heir to the throne – should marry someone of the same bearing… someone of the same class."

"The bottom line is…" Hiko interjected, "Your father married your mother. The old man was so mad that he disowned your father and gave the throne to his brother, Hideki. And the next is as you heard it in the news."

"Prince Hideki is a bachelor as you would know." Otsu said, "He does not have any descendants to pass on the throne…"

"Hey… Hey…" Kenshin waved a hand in horror, "You're not telling me…"

"Yes," Otsu bowed, "You are Prince Genji's only son and you are the only … the last direct descendant of my Master."

Kenshin gaped at him – silently waiting for someone to jump out of their hiding place and announce that he is in one of those prank shows Sano is fond of watching every Saturday night. This moment could sure pass as one good practical joke.

"I don't believe you!" Kenshin finally managed to say, "This is insane!" he frowned at the minister-person, "How can my father be this Prince your talking about?! He's just an ordinary architect! Maybe you are mistaken, sir. You've gotten the wrong man! My father is an ordinary man… I, his son, is an ordinary high school student… and this house – an ordinary house, is where I live! I can't be that 'descendant-whatever' you're talking about."

"But—" Otsu stood up from his seat but Kenshin lifted a hand to stop him.

"I'm tired and I still got classes tomorrow." Kenshin said, "If you'll excuse me, sir." And with that he left for the sanctuary of his room.

XXX

Kenshin laid all awake in his bed, frowning at the ceiling as his mind tried to recall everything that just happened the last few hours. Just earlier this morning, he was wondering on why his best friend's avoiding him – and now…

"I wish Kaoru would pop out of nowhere and start yelling at me." he chuckled at the thought, "Maybe that can take my mind off this stupid predicament."

He heard a knock on his door and was slightly regretting the fact that he had forgotten to lock the door. He sighed as he felt his uncle sat on the edge of his bed.

"I know you're still awake." Hiko said calmly. "And I know everything is happening so fast for you."

"That guy is just joking around, isn't he?" the redhead finally sat up, "He's not some imperial-people or whatever, right? He's just an ordinary man trying to pull an awful joke on me, isn't he?"

"Everything he said is true." Hiko stated firmly. "And no matter what you do, you can't change the fact that your father's blood is running through your veins."

"But…"

"When are you going to be a man and accept the truth?" Hiko rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's not everyday that someone steps into your house declaring that you're the 'king of the world', isn't it? It does not happen to everyone."

"You're not just 'everyone'." Hiko shook his head, "You're your father's son. You can't change that."

"Why is it that you've never told me this?" Kenshin sighed, "This is just too hard to believe."

"I know." Hiko nodded his head, "But I have never thought that this would happen – and neither did your parents. We thought we could just go on with our life – live like ordinary people… They've given the throne to Hideki, anyway. Who knew the bastard would die without even leaving an offspring, the idiot."

Kenshin smiled at the slight humor on his uncle's voice.

"I'm not forcing you to accept the responsibility they're thrusting to your hands." Hiko said, turning his head to the younger man, "That the decision, only you can make. Why not give it a try – you've got nothing to lose anyway and a whole lot to gain. What's wrong with that?"

Kenshin looked down, "But I don't think I can do—"

"That's one of those things I hate about you!" Hiko smacked the back of Kenshin's head, "You're so pessimistic! Why don't you try it out first before thinking that you can't do it?" the older man stood up, "You may be an idiot but my sister's blood still runs in your veins. Make her proud." with that, he left Kenshin alone to his own thoughts.

XXX

"Haven't gotten any sleep?" Kaoru asked as she eyed his weary self. The truth was Kenshin failed to get any sleep after getting the shock of his life.

"Just had something in my mind." Kenshin gave her a smile but the worry never left her eyes.

"I saw a car pull back at your place." Kaoru said, "And there was this weird-looking man standing near it – as if guarding something or someone. When I ask him what's the matter he completely ignored me! The nerve! I'm just trying to be nice!" she pouted and lifted a fist, "I'll pound him next time I see him!"

"Who're you going to pound?" Sano appeared behind them, making Kaoru jump in surprise. She turned to give the taller man one death glare.

"Hey, easy!" Sano smirked, "What's wrong? Is it that time of the month?"

When they stopped by at the Takani clinic for Megumi, Sano sported a huge handprint on his left cheek. He grunted in reply to Takani-sensei's worried questions and told him that he had an accident during basketball practice. The doctor marveled on the wonders of youthful sports nowadays giving youths strange injuries.

"Let's go!" Megumi smiled as she finally emerged in the room with Kasumi ('Ohh… Baby sister, how are you?').

"Mou! I wish she would stop treating me like a little girl!" Kaoru pouted as she rubbed the spot where her sister had repeatedly kissed her on the cheek. "She's weird sometimes!"

"It's a part of being pregnant and everything." Megumi said proudly.

"So, pregnancy makes a girl do weird stuff and all?" Sano asked with a very serious face.

"Why, I'm amazed! Just when did you start being interested in serious things like this." Megumi said, nodding her head.

"Since little missy here started acting so weird." Sano pointed at Kaoru who turned beet red.

"Hey! What do you mean by that!" Kaoru angrily retorted.

"Admit it… who's the father!" Sano asked and then his eyes widened, "Oh! Kenshin, you dog! Did you finally do it!"

Ten minutes later, Sano sports a ten-layer bump on his head and another handprint complimenting his grumbling face.

"Ah… Megumi! I have something to give you!" Kaoru said after giving Sano another bump on the head. She pulled the other girl a good ten feet away from the two men and started whispering something on her ear, handing her some paper before finally waving at the two men. Kenshin noted how the two girls' faces has a little pink tint.

"Man! The foxy too!" Sano whispered to Kenshin, "They're both pregnant?"

Kenshin gave his friend a look of disbelief.

XXX

"Hey Kenshin!" Kaoru called as he waited for Sano just outside the school gym. He blinked as he found her all by herself.

"Where's Megumi?" he asked, looking around for the other girl.

"Nah… She said something about 'student council' or something." Kaoru shrugged and grabbed him on the arm. Maybe Sano was right, Kaoru is really weird this day.

"What's so funny?" Kaoru pouted at him as he chuckled.

"Nah… just remembered Sano thinking that you're pregnant…" Kenshin smiled wider as his best friend's face turned bright crimson. "So, what's up?"

"I have two tickets here!" Kaoru excitedly draw out two front-court ticket for the upcoming Shohoku game this coming Saturday. He smiled – his best friend is an avid fan of the local basketball team.

"Where did you get those?" he asked, as she placed the tickets carefully back on her bag.

"My uncle gave it to me." she declared happily. "He works for a sports magazine, remember? And he's friends with the Shohoku's team manager. That's where he's gotten the tickets." she paused to give him a small smile and started skipping beside him, "I already gave Megumi two tickets – she is to give Sano the other one. And then…" the crimson color made its way back on her cheeks as he saw her throwing discreet glances at his direction almost uncertainly.

"You plan on giving the other one to me?" Kenshin asked and wondered if anyone could blush as hard as his best friend. _'Well… it's a very warm day…'_ he dismissed.

"If you're not busy." Kaoru looked down, "I mean… I can always ask someone else…"

"Of course I'm not busy." Kenshin smiled as Kaoru's eyes never shone as bright before. "It'll be fun… like four friends hanging out together."

The excited glint on her eye soon disappeared with a blink of an eye. Kenshin frowned at his best friend's sudden change of mood. He had heard about pregnant women having unpredictable mood swings.

"Sure… like 'friends having fun'… that's great!" Kaoru made a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "C'mon let's go wait for Megumi in the library!" and then she ran, leaving the redhead never as confused before.

XXX

Megumi and Sano soon arrived at the library and for once, they were talking like two civil people. Kaoru waved at the two, and watched as they made their way towards their table. Today, the teachers were called for an emergency meeting and so, the rest of the classes were suspended. So, Kaoru decided that it would be a good time to finish their homework.

"Maybe we could go to the arcade later, what do you say Kenshin?" Sano whispered to the redhead as Megumi left to get a new book.

"Mou! If Megumi-chan can hear right now!" Kaoru growled at the taller man before soon following Megumi to put her book back on the shelf.

"You know what's weird?" Sano said as he watched the girl leave, "The foxy gave me tickets for some basketball game. Never knew she's interested with the game."

"She watched your every game." Kenshin said as if that settled the matter.

"But Shohoku?" Sano frowned, "I know missy is a die-hard fan but Megumi's never even known another team than that of our school's!"

"Why?" Kenshin blinked, "What's wrong with that?"

"I don't know. Just weird." Sano shrugged.

"Maybe they sometimes stop and talk about basketball once in a while." Kenshin said rather lamely. Sano stared at him as if the shorter man had grown another head.

The two girls were soon back with a dozen or so thick-looking books. Kenshin felt Sano shiver beside – if that was because of the two girls or the amount of books they are about to read, Kenshin never figured.

XXX

The walk home was quite uneventful except for Sano being smacked by either Kaoru or Megumi because of his inborn ability to annoy either woman, that by the time he turned to another block – his head had another five bumps.

"See ya!" Kaoru smiled as Megumi waved before entering her brother's clinic. She turned and gave the redhead a small smile before walking off again.

"You still haven't told me about that visitor of yours yesterday." Kaoru asked again, much to Kenshin's discomfort. "Was he a new client of your uncle's?"

"Kind of." Kenshin shrugged, not really in the mood to talk about the events of the night. Plus, he doubted that Kaoru would believe him if he told her about yesterday's shocking discoveries – he still found it hard-to-believe himself.

Kaoru only stared at him and to his delight, did not press on. She smiled at him before going to her own house (which was just adjacent his own ones) and he was once again left all alone with his thoughts.

"I'm home…" Kenshin said rather lazily as he took his shoes off. He found his uncle, for once, out of the couch and fixing something on his workshop – judging from the sound of someone hammering something. With a shrug, the redhead made his way to his room.

To Be Continued…


	4. Troublesome Thursday

His Royal Geek-ness

By: BrokenSonnet32

Disclaimer: They are not mine.

Chapter 4: Troublesome Thursday

"I'll be going!" Kenshin said to his uncle as he stepped out of his house and made his way to the adjacent house where Kaoru was sitting by her mother's swinging chair. She grinned when she caught sight of his bright hair and soon joined him after telling quick 'good-bye' to her mother.

As usual, they stopped by the Takani clinic to fetch Megumi and run into Sano on their way to school. This was a morning ritual for Kenshin.

"Kaoru-chan! Kaoru-chan!" somebody called from behind. The girl in question turned just in time to see but slow enough to react, to a living dodge-ball that was Makimachi Misao.

"Ouch!" Kaoru bit her lip as she twisted her ankle in an attempt to stay at her feet. The genki-girl seemed oblivious to it as she latched herself on Kaoru's left arm and began babbling about something.

"Okay, what was that?" Sano was the first one to break the silence as he watched Kaoru being dragged away by the genki-girl.

"I don't know." Megumi replied, still lost to what has just happened.

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked when the two turned to him instead.

They soon found out the reason to Misao's 'genki-er' than usual attack on Kaoru. Inside the school building, just in front of the huge bulletin board were a thick number of students from different year and section loitering noisily – that it would be a 'mission impossible' for one to pass through the hallways that they had just blocked.

"Hey… what's up?" Sano pulled a random someone who turns out to be a girl from the other section. Furinkan High's 'Power Forward' seemed to be oblivious to the girl's dreamy stare as he frowned at the huge crowd the students had formed.

"Er… the school dance." the girl managed to say almost breathlessly.

" 'School dance'?" Sano blinked as he finally realized the fact that he was still holding the girl's arm. He turned to her and found her ogling at him like a fangirl. He quickly pushed the girl away rather roughly.

"Er… thank you for the information." Sano muttered and pushed his way through the crowd and to their classroom. Megumi and Kenshin followed with great difficulty.

XXX

"Darn…" Kaoru winced as she tried to move her left ankle (the one she has twisted earlier) as carefully as she could. "Darn… I still can't understand why there's so excited over that stupid ball! Geez!" she winced again.

"Well… it was a chance to have some fun and spend the whole night with the man of your dreams…" Megumi said quickly, checking her reflection on her spoon.

"More like the chance for perverted morons to rub against each other…" Kaoru muttered.

"What's wrong with these girls?" Sano sank lower on his seat as another group of giggly girls threw knowing smiles at his direction.

Kenshin chuckled at his friend's great irritation to the majority of Furinkan's female population. Sometimes he becomes envious of all the attention that his friend seemed to grab without even trying too hard. Maybe it all comes with being a part of the varsity team.

Some distance away from their place by the old Sakura tree's shadows were the school's soccer field. Kenshin scanned the whole place for any sign of a certain cheerleader and soon found her cheering as the soccer team captain made another spectacular move. He discreetly wondered if what she'll say if he tries asking her for the dance. _Maybe if I can do one of those Slam dunks, then maybe she'll finally see me…_

"Thinking of asking someone for the dance?" Kaoru asked, always the first one to catch his thoughts. The redhead gave his friend a small smile and stared back at a certain cheerleader.

"Well… you won't get anywhere if you just sit here and watch her." was her monotonic statement. He turned to look at her but found that her eyes were hidden behind her bangs.

"Ne… Kao-chan, aren't you excited about this 'dance-thing'?" Megumi asked all of the sudden.

"No, it's stupid. I'd rather stay at home and watch DVDs." was the girl's quick reply.

"I'll second that." Sano nodded.

"But… don't you want to grab this chance to look good and make a certain 'dense someone' finally see you in a better light?" Megumi said, completely ignoring Sano. To Kenshin's utmost surprise, found his best friend's face turned even brighter than his hair.

"Mou! What do you mean by that?!? That _certain dense someone_ is inexistent!" Kaoru quickly said, face still bright red. When Megumi continued to stare at her unconvincingly, Kaoru stood up and marched towards the school building with loud thuds.

"She's so obvious sometimes." Megumi shook her head and soon followed the girl, leaving the two men to their thoughts.

"Missy is the weirdest girl around, don't you think?" Sano turned to Kenshin who guiltily nodded.

"You really don't wanna go to this dance?" Kenshin asked, though he already had a fair guess of what his friend's answer was.

"Not that she'll come with me. I don't think so." Sano's answer took the redhead by surprise. He turned his shocked eyes at the taller man and frowned.

"So, there's a 'someone'!" Kenshin said, almost in disbelief. "Is this the same girl you've asked out in junior high?" he added with a slight humor in his tone.

"It's not Kaoru!" Sano frowned at him.

"Okay…" Kenshin only blinked, "I just thought that you still liked her."

"Man!" Sano rolled his eyes, "Jou-chan is like a little sister to me! Nothing more, nothing less! That thing in junior high… that's nothing…" he paused and then smirked at the redhead's direction, "Besides, there's someone else that, I know, she likes very much."

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked, "There is someone she likes?" he repeated, the odd feeling of hearing that he's a _supposed_ descendant to some aristocrat for the first time was coming back to him.

"Anyway… I have a fair guess of who're planning to ask." Sano said with a disbelieving sigh. "So… she's just right there, aren't you going to go and ask her now?"

"It's not like she'll go." Kenshin said miserably – the thought of Kaoru having someone else she likes, soon forgotten, "Why would she go with a loser like me?"

"Here he goes again!" Sano rolled his eyes, "You're already admitting defeat without even giving something a try!"

'_You're so pessimistic! Why don't you try it out before thinking that you can't do it?'_ his uncle's words echoed on his ears and Kenshin found some confidence back. He stared at Tomoe's group and to his relief her friends had all left to walk towards some soccer players.

"I guess… I'll give it a try." Kenshin smiled at Sano and stood up, towards Tomoe's direction. He failed to see the look of disbelief on Sano's face.

"Er… Y-Yukishiro-dono…" Kenshin said, and the girl in question looked up, raising an eyebrow at the sigh of him.

"Yes?" Tomoe asked, standing up from the grassy field.

"Er… Do… Do… Do…" _just spit it out, you can do it…_

"Yes?" Tomoe raised an eyebrow again, looking highly impatient. Kenshin gulped – _this is now or never._

"Did you get the book report that I had finished for you yesterday?" he quickly asked nervously, mentally kicking himself for being stupid.

"Oh… it was the last day." Tomoe rolled her eyes, "Is there something more that you want? 'Coz, I'm afraid I'm quite busy."

Kenshin just stood there dumbly. Tomoe rolled her eyes again and turned to leave.

"Do you want to go to the dance with me?" he quickly asked, his face now rivaled his hair in color.

Tomoe turned to him, looking at him as if he's the biggest clown in the world. Behind her, the captain of the soccer team appeared, glaring at Kenshin's blushing self.

"Sorry… I'm already going with someone else." Tomoe said, putting her head on the captain's shoulder.

"Oh…" Kenshin nodded and gave her a weak smile, "That's alright." he gave them another smile and turned to leave. He was about to but he felt someone grab his uniform and forced his to turn around.

"Hey! Why don't you go mind your own girl?!" Kiyosato Akira, the soccer captain, snarled angrily. He shoved Kenshin rather roughly to the side and walked off with Tomoe on his arms. Tomoe's friends walked past him, giggling like mad.

"Haha! Loser!" some soccer players made a painful push at him as they walked past him. Kenshin sighed as he adjusted his glasses and rubbed the sore spot on his head where one nasty player punched him.

Kenshin heard Sano come over him, angrily yelling at the retreating soccer players and asking him worriedly if something hurts. The redhead wordlessly walked away with his shoulders slumped.

XXX

"You idiot!" Kaoru angrily hit Sano on the head and turned worriedly to her best friend's sullen figure sitting all alone in one of the most secluded spots in the library. Heaving a small sigh and throwing another glare at Sano's direction, she made her way to the sulking redhead.

"Hey… you're alone." she uncertainly took the seat right across her best friend's eyeing the blank expression on his face, "It's just… I mean… Sano told me—"

"It's nothing… Don't worry…" Kenshin gave her a smile but Kaoru knew him all too well to believe that smile.

"Stop it!" Kaoru frowned, "Of course I worry! I care about you… you're an idiot if you still haven't figured that out!" she looked away sharply, her cheeks tinted with pink.

Kenshin only stared at her, smiling at her endless loyalty to him, "Thank you."

"You don't have to." Kaoru smiled back, "We're friends. We're supposed to look out for each other, right? I'm always here for you, don't you dare forget that or I'll pound you!" she said the last part, lifting a fist good-humoredly. Kenshin chuckled.

"Feeling better?" Kaoru said peering at his eyes behind his bangs.

"Yeah…" Kenshin nodded, "Besides, I kind-of expected Yukishiro-dono already going with someone else. She's already got a boyfriend, anyway. It's very stupid of me to ever think that she'll even think of going with some loser like me…" he added with a chuckle.

"Mou! You're not a loser!" Kaoru angrily reprimanded him, "_Her Mighty Princess_ is the biggest fool of them all if she still hasn't seen how special you really are!"

Kenshin only stared as Kaoru suddenly placed a hand on her mouth and turned beet red, as if getting caught saying something she shouldn't have. Her ocean blue eyes wide in horror as she stared back at Kenshin's amethyst ones, face becoming redder and redder if that was even possible at her current state.

"So… you really don't plan on going to this dance?" Kenshin asked. Kaoru's eyes turned even wider than before.

"W-What are you saying?" she quickly asked, her voice in a slightly higher pitch.

Kenshin laughed at her _weird_ behavior, "Well… I just thought, it may be fun. Why not give it a try…" he shrugged, "So… if you want, maybe we could go together… that is, if you want…"

Kaoru's eyes could have made the sun go hiding in shame and the stars go envious as she smiled happily at him, "Of course! We'll go together!" she nodded quickly and sighed, the red tint seemed to be a permanent part of her face.

"Then it's a date… er…" Kenshin blushed at the implication of his words, "I mean… we can also see if we can make Sano and Megumi go. It'll be fun, just the four of us, friends…"

"Oh… that's good…" Kaoru doesn't sound as excited for some reason.

To Be Continued…


	5. The Appointment

His Royal G

His Royal Geek-ness

By: BrokenSonnet32

Disclaimer: They are not mine…

Chapter 5: The Appointment

It was almost three days since the arrival of the strange imperial minister and from then on, Kenshin and his uncle never heard from them. Not that, he was anxious to see them – it was quite a relief for him that Otsu never bothered to contact them again, maybe they had finally realized that Kenshin really wasn't a royalty after all.

So, for the last few days, Kenshin was at ease. It was a good thing that he had fought the urge to tell Kaoru about his past ordeal or else it would be very embarrassing to tell that it was all a mistake. Besides, what would he tell her – '_Surprise! It's a Joke!_' he chuckled at the thought, knowing all too well that it would earn him a beating that would rival that of Sano's.

"Hey… you're acting weird!" Kaoru said, poking him hard on the ribs as she stared forward and began copying the notes that their teacher was writing on the board.

"Oro? Why is that?" the redhead asked, pulling his own notebook out and started to copy the things on the board. After being sure that their teacher would not turn back at the class, Kaoru turned her eyes to Kenshin.

"Because…" she paused and blew her bangs out of her eyes, "You would smile and then you'll frown and then shake your head and then you'll smile again," she said this, screwing her face up as she tried to mimic him. Kenshin found himself trying to stifle a laugh as a piece of chalk found it's way on Kaoru's head.

"KAMIYA! Stop talking with your seatmate or I'll send you out of this classroom!" their teacher's shrilly voice echoed in the room, sending some heads turn to Kaoru's direction. The girl lowered herself on her seat and bent her head down in embarrassment as she started writing again.

"Was that my fault?" Kenshin asked discreetly as he continued scribbling on his notebook.

"Idiot!" Kaoru pouted at him, "Mou! Just what is going on that stupid head of yours, anyway?"

"Nothing…" Kenshin shrugged, "Nothing of great importance, really!" he added after seeing the suspicious glint in her eyes.

"You're not hiding something from me, are you?" she asked in a slightly high-pitched voice.

"Why would I hide something from my best friend?" he half-lied, trying to look as innocent as he could. Kaoru only rolled her eyes and blew her stubborn bangs out of her eyes.

"KAMIYA! HIMURA! PAY ATTENTION!"

XXX

Break times reminded Kenshin about the coming event that was the 'school dance'. The event was supposed to be a fund-raising project of the school for some charity work or something. And it seems that everywhere he go, this 'event' is the main topic of every conversation.

"Is the coast clear?" Sano asked as he pushed Kenshin out of the men's room for the redhead to check if the halls are free from any 'unidentified feminine objects'. When the redhead nodded, the taller man finally lets a sigh of relief and stepped out of his hiding spot.

"This whole 'dance' thing is driving me nuts!" Sano run a hand through his spiky locks and sighed. He, Kenshin, Kaoru and Megumi were on their way to the cafeteria to grab some meal when a massive crowd of women from different years and sections literally launched themselves to the panic-stricken 'power forward'. The next thing the redhead knew, Sano has dragged him all the way to the nearest men's room to hide.

"Maybe if you'll just make it clear that you're already going with someone… then maybe, they'll finally stop _harassing _you." Kenshin suggested as they went in search for Kaoru and Megumi.

Sano frowned for a moment before smirking, "You know… that might work…" he said, nodding his head absently as he continued to walk.

XXX

Megumi was in the middle of explaining something to Kaoru when Sano suddenly pulled her with him unannounced. The foxy woman angrily frowned at the taller man and demanded the reason for his odd behavior.

"Just help me, okay?" Sano almost begged which silenced the stunned Megumi.

"What's wrong with him?" Kaoru asked as she finally caught sight of Kenshin. The redhead shook his head but Kaoru noted the guilty look on his face. She frowned and followed Sano and Megumi.

"Ooh! Sanosuke-sama!!" one of the giggly girls that has been following Sano around all day screamed as the man walked past them, still dragging Megumi behind her.

"Mou! Let me pass! Mou! Stupid girls!" Kaoru growled as she pushed her way through the crowd.

Sano finally stopped dragging Megumi when they finally reached the middle of the cafeteria. The foxy woman stared at him as he coughed as if trying to calm his nerves.

"What's this all about?" she demanded after finally realizing the crowd that they had attracted.

Sano coughed again, his face starting to color a little. Kaoru and Kenshin finally managed to catch up with them.

"Megumi!" Sano said firmly after the third cough. The girl gave him a suspicious frown but remained silent.

"Will you go to the dance with me?" he asked this growing redder and redder in the face with every word. Megumi's mouth soon touched the ground as she stared at the man in shocked silence.

"Whoa! Finally!" Kaoru said happily over the loud groans and screams of several fangirls. She began punching the air in triumph, "I always wondered who's going to make the first move!"

To Megumi's part, she was still at loss of what to say – for the first time of her life. Biting her lip she stared at the still waiting man standing in front of her, trying to make sure this wasn't one of his awful jokes.

"You're serious?" as soon as the words escaped her, Megumi regretted it as Sano's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Of course I am, stupid!" Sano angrily retorted. Megumi not one to be called 'stupid', angrily retorted back.

"How dare you call me that, you rooster boy!"

"Take that back, you foxy woman!"

Megumi snorted in disbelief – _How can she ever believe that he's even… argh!!_

She throws a nasty look at him and turned to walk away.

"Fine! I take it back! I'm sorry!" Sano, once again, surprised her with this statement. The man had never apologized to her in front of many people – he had this thing about manly pride, anyway.

"So… will you go with me?" he asked again when Megumi turned to face him again.

Megumi stared at him, as if challenging him to back off just right now. When she's finally convinced that he was indeed serious, she nodded her head.

"But—" she added, a pair of foxy ears popping out of her head, "—only because you're so desperate and begged me to go with you!"

XXX

"I'm NOT desperate!" Sano said sullenly as the four walked home together as usual, "I did NOT beg YOU!"

"Ooh… really!" Megumi said feeling much lighter than earlier that morning, "How about the – _'Fine! I take it back! I'm sorry!'_ Ohohoho!"

"No… it's the…" Kaoru made an exaggerated imitation of Sano's expression from cafeteria scene, " '_Will you go to the dance with me?'_ Hahahahaha!!"

Sano's face burned so hard that Kenshin could almost feel the steam coming from his friend's head.

"Wait 'til I got something on you, jouchan!" he grumbled, placing both hands in his pockets.

"Ooh… I'm so scared!" Kaoru said and then began laughing so loud that she was soon coughing, trying to regain her breathing.

"You alright?" Kenshin asked, patting his best friend on her back. Kaoru smiled gratefully at him and then continued teasing Sano unstoppable that the taller man almost ran all the way home to get rid of her.

"I'll see you!" Megumi smiled as she hopped her way to the Takani clinic. Kenshin and Kaoru both exchanged worried looks as they watched their friend disappear behind the door.

"She seems really happy…" Kenshin, the ever king of the obvious, said.

"Of course!" Kaoru said with a huge smile on her face, "You'll that happy as well if the one that you've liked for ages finally made the first move!" and before Kenshin could react, she was already walking ahead of him. He shook his head and jogged to catch up with her.

XXX

"I'm home!" Kenshin called as he took his shoes off. He was on his way to his room when his uncle called him.

"Minister Otsu dropped by earlier." Hiko said in as if commenting on today's weather. Kenshin gaped at him, almost dropping his bag on the floor as he tried to comprehend what his uncle had just said.

"A car will come to fetch you at eight tomorrow morning." Hiko stood from the couch to face the redhead, "It seems that your grandfather wanted to see you."

Kenshin's bag found its way to the floor with a soft thud.

To Be Continued…

Notes:

Power Forward – this is Sano's position in his school's basketball team… just to inform you guys :)


End file.
